First Job Nightmares

Meerkat · Jul 9, 2005

My first nursing job is a total nightmare most of the time. I am on a telemetry/stepdown unit. I had 10 weeks of orientation and felt comfortable going on my own. I have done quite well on my own. Our staff turnover is terrible. I started in February and as of next month there will only be 3 nurses with more experience than myself on the night shift. Average experience - 9 months to 1 year. I see a lot of mistakes being made. By saying that I don't mean things just not being done by the book. I mean truly life threatening mistakes like missing a patients dose of insulin for 2 weeks before I noticed one night when I took care of the patient. There are many other incidents that I could share. It is like the blind leading the blind. I feel like my learning has all but come to a halt because there is no one there to teach you anything. Yeah I still learn but only what I can look up in a book. I love being a nurse but I hate this job. Obviously getting a new job is in the works most likely. Any other suggestions?

Holy cow. I'm sorry you're having a bad go of it. I can relate---similar experiences as well as being overloaded with 10 patients as a new grad. Very overwhelming.

I think you're right---a new job is the way to go. It sounds like where you are now, you may risk your license under those conditions. Next potential job, ask for a tour...while walking you'll no doubt stop at a nurses' station and maybe get some introductions. Then, once you get home, call up to the station and say that you were taking a tour earlier and thinking about working there. Ask if someone would mind telling you a bit about the floor and how they like working there. It might help give you a clearer impression of how things work there.

Good luck!

RNAnna · Jul 9, 2005

While looking for a new job, I would also say that this needs to be reported to someone. If going up the chain of command is not an option, I would be thinking about talking to the state board of nursing and making them aware of the situation. We are talking about your license here. If you are taking care of some of these pts. and mistakes have been made - not by you but by another nurse - as one of the care givers on this chart, you could get dragged into a legal situation. Get outside malpractice insurance and call the board of nursing.

Anna

BETSRN · Jul 11, 2005

My first nursing job is a total nightmare most of the time. I am on a telemetry/stepdown unit. I had 10 weeks of orientation and felt comfortable going on my own. I have done quite well on my own. Our staff turnover is terrible. I started in February and as of next month there will only be 3 nurses with more experience than myself on the night shift. Average experience - 9 months to 1 year. I see a lot of mistakes being made. By saying that I don't mean things just not being done by the book. I mean truly life threatening mistakes like missing a patients dose of insulin for 2 weeks before I noticed one night when I took care of the patient. There are many other incidents that I could share. It is like the blind leading the blind. I feel like my learning has all but come to a halt because there is no one there to teach you anything. Yeah I still learn but only what I can look up in a book. I love being a nurse but I hate this job. Obviously getting a new job is in the works most likely. Any other suggestions?

I think the new job is a great idea. When you leave your present positino, make sure (in your exit interview) that you tell them exactly WHY you are leaving. Hospitals need to be aware of why new nurses burn out.

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Jul 11, 2005

wow, sorry to read such terrible situation at your job. The only thing I could tell you is to start looking and applying to other jobs ASAP, don't quit until you are certain that you are starting a new job. Seems like there are too many obstacles to overcome there in order for the conditions to improve. You can give that a shot if you really want to stay there first. I wish you the best of luck. :)

barefootlady, ADN, RN · Jul 11, 2005

Too many patients assigned to new nurses and no leadership is going to place you and the other nurses working with you in a lot of trouble if you do not report this to 1. HN 2. DON 3. CEO. I hope you filed an incident report on the insulin issue, this is neglient to say the least. Good luck. The HN should be out there working some to make sure all goes as it should or this floors patient load should be curtailed. If no one protests, then it will be business as usual. Why do you think the turnover is so high? Maybe some of these nurses found out telemetry was not for them, but I bet lots of others just got out when they could d/t safety issues and licensure concerns. Good luck.

medicrnohio, RN · Jul 12, 2005

Thanks for all of your responses. I have started looking for other jobs. In fact, I have an interview on Friday. I have reported different incidents that have happened to my supervisor and was told they would be followed up on. Some have been and other have not, no changes have been made though. I will definitely be telling them why I'm leaving when I leave.